CLINTON, N.Y.-The SUNY Potsdam women’s hockey team (5-8-2) erased a 3-0 deficit at Hamilton College (7-3-1) on Tuesday night, but the Continentals scored twice in the third period for a 5-3 victory. Senior captain Sally Mooney (Columbus, Ohio/Wyoming Seminary), senior forward Alison Greene (Massena, N.Y./Norwich University) and junior forward Amanda Peterson (West Chazy, N.Y./Chazy Flyers) each scored for the Bears. Senior assistant captain Abby Tardelli (Potsdam, N.Y./North Country Ice Storm) made 26 saves between the pipes.
Hamilton jumped on Potsdam early. Ianthe Lekometros gave the Continentals a 1-0 lead at 5:56. Nearly five minutes later Hannah Bartlett doubled the advantage and Caroline Knop made it 3-0 at 11:15. Fortunately, Hamilton penalties kept the Bears from being completely overwhelmed. At 16:21, Mooney got Potsdam on the board with a power-play goal on a helper from freshman defenseman Rylie Murray (Berkley, Mich./Honeybaked). Just 2:06 later, Greene notched another goal on the man advantage with assists from senior captain Katie Marsman (Wantagh, N.Y./Wyoming Seminary) and junior forward Jordan Ott (Hilton, N.Y./Rochester Edge). The Bears entered the first intermission down just 3-2.
The Continentals were able to kill off three consecutive power plays over the first half the middle stanza. Defense was the story of the second period as the teams combined for just 15 shots. However, Potsdam made the most of it’s best chance. At the 18-minute mark, Peterson finished a feed from Marsman and Greene to send the Bears into the final break tied at 3-3.
Potsdam was whistled for checking 1:12 into the third period and the Continentals capitalized 15 seconds later. Sara Taffe found the back of the net on the power play for the eventual game-winner. Much of the rest of the period was evenly played, but Jaime Meroz stopped all 11 shots she faced in the final 20 minutes. Tardelli was pulled for an extra attacker with 50 seconds left, but Hamilton’s Bartlett was able to tack on an empty-netter with 21 seconds on the clock.
Bears Head Coach Jay Green was pleased to see his team rebound from a rough start.
“We had a slow start first 10 minutes where typical mistakes cost us,” said Green. “But we settled down, got two power-play goals and Petey tied it up. Overall, once we settled down, it was a pretty good effort by everybody. Kady Hart (Potsdam, N.Y./North Country Ice Storm) had a very good game on defense and Sally Mooney and Petey were strong offensively.”
Sam Walther started in goal for the Continentals and stopped both shots she faced in the opening 11:15. Meroz earned the victory with 21 saves in the final 48:45.
Hamilton outshot the Bears 31-26 and was 1-for-3 on the power play. Potsdam was 2-for-4.
The Bears return to ECAC West play this weekend when they head to SUNY Cortland for two games. Potsdam faces the Red Dragons at 3 p.m. on Friday and 2 p.m. on Saturday.
